Converting Standard Measurements

Smaller Unit Larger Unit

12 inches 1 foot

3 feet 1 yard

1760 yards 1 mile

5280 feet 1 mile

63,360 inches 1 mile

There has to be a better way…

S.I. units are so easy to work with because they are

based on multiples of 10!

The S.I. units stand for in French“Système international

d'unités ”

We just say “The International System of Units”

S.I. units are the same as the metric system units.

There is one basic unit for… Length (meter) Volume (liter) Mass (gram)

Each smaller unit is easy to convert to the larger unit and vice versa! This chart can be used for

each of the basic units The values do not change

for liters…

Or Grams!

Smaller Unit Larger Unit

1000 meter 1 kilometer

100 meter 1 hectometer

10 meter 1 decameter

10 decimeters 1 meter

100 centimeters

1 meter

1000 millimeters

1 meter

Smaller Unit Larger Unit

1000 liter 1 kiloliter

100 liter 1 hectoliter

10 liter 1 decaliter

10 deciliters 1 liter

100 centiliters 1 liter

1000 milliliters 1 liter

Smaller Unit Larger Unit

1000 grams 1 kilogram

100 grams 1 hectogram

10 grams 1 decagram

10 decigrams 1 gram

100 centigrams

1 gram

1000 milligrams

1 gram

To simplify things, very large and very small objects are expressed as multiples of ten of the base unit For example…The Nile River is 6,650,000

meters long, or “6,650 thousand” meters long Instead of saying this, insert the prefix "kilo"

(meaning 1,000) to the base unit "meter" to give us “6,650 kilometers”

Metric prefixes can be used with any base unit For example…

A kilometer is 1,000 meters A kilogram is 1,000 grams A kiloliter is 1,000 liters

Base the subunit you use on whichever is closest to the size of the object you are measuring It wouldn't make sense to measure

your weight in grams for the same reason that you wouldn't measure it in ounces - the unit is too small

You would express your weight in a unit that makes sense, in this case: kilograms, because 1 kilogram is equal to 1000 grams

(1 kilogram = 2.2 lbs)1 kilogram 1000 grams

They are the same!

The metric system is called a decimal-based system because it is based on multiples of ten

Six common prefixes used in the metric system are listed as follows…

Common Metric

PrefixesUnit

Multiples

kilo-k

1000

hecto-h

100

Deca-or Dekada

10

basic unit (m, L, g)

1

deci-d

0.1(1/10)

centi-c

0.01(1/100)

milli-m

0.001(1/1000)

Step 1: Determine if you are converting to a larger or smaller unit. Going up the ladder move decimal left (1 cm = 0.1 dm) Going down the ladder move the decimal right (1 cm = 10 mm)

Step 2: Decide how many spaces up or down the ladder you need to move. Step 3: Move your decimal point that many spaces.

Practice Problem: How many centimeters are in 1 meter?

Step 1: You know the larger unit (meters). You don’t know the smaller unit (centimeters). This means you will be converting to a smaller unit. (Move the decimal point to the right)

Step 2: Looking at the ladder, you see that from the meter centimeter there are 2 steps, or 2 decimal points.

Step 3: Move your decimal point 2 place values (1.000 meters 10.00 decimeter 100.0 centimeters)

Therefore, 1 meter = 100 centimeters.

Practice Problem: How many meters are in 1 centimeter?

Step 1: You know the smaller unit (centimeters). You don’t know the larger unit (meters). This means you will be converting to a larger unit.(Move the decimal point to the left)

Step 2: Looking at the ladder, you see that there are 2 steps, or 2 decimal points, from the centimeter to the meter.

Step 3: Move your decimal point 2 place values (1.0 0.1 0.01)

Therefore, 1 centimeter = 0.01 meters

How Can I Remember the Order of the Metric System?

Try a Metric Ladder Mnemonic! Kittens Hate Dogs BECAUSE Dogs Can’t Meow

Kilo- Hecto- Deca- BASIC UNIT Deci- Centi- Milli-

Other mnemonics…

•Kids have dropped over dead converting metrics

•King Hector died by drinking chocolate milk

How many meters are in 1 kilometer? How many milligrams are in 1 gram? How many grams are in a dekagram? How many meters are in a centimeter?

Questions to ask yourself:1) Are you going to a smaller or larger unit?2) Which way will you move the decimal? (smaller-right; larger-

left)3) How many spaces do I move? (Use the Metric Ladder to help)

Reminder (Do in this order! ) Get your “Bellwork” from the table as you enter Place your homework in a pile in the center of your

table Write your objective/homework in your Agenda Begin your Bellwork

Solve the following conversions:

75 meters = _____ centimeters

30 centimeters = _____ millimeters

10 meters = _____ hectometers

150 centimeters = _____ meters

5 hectometers = _____ kilometers

75 meters = 7500 centimeters

30 centimeters = 300 millimeters

10 meters = 0.1 hectometers

150 centimeters = 1.5 meters

5 hectometers = 0.5 kilometers

Reminder (Do in this order! ) Get your “Bellwork” from the table as you enter Place your homework in a pile in the center of your

table Write your objective/homework in your Agenda Begin your Bellwork

Solve the following conversion problems: 1 meter = _____ centimeters

5 meters = _____ millimeters

10 meters = _____ hectometers

2 kilometers = _____ meters

6000 meters = _____ kilometers

1 meter = 100 centimeters

5 meters = 5000 millimeters

10 meters = 0.1 hectometers

2 kilometers = 2000 meters

6000 meters = 6 kilometers

How many meters are in 1 kilometer? 1 kilometer 1000 meters

How many milligrams are in 1 gram?1 gram 1000 milligrams

How many grams are in a dekagram?1 dekagram 10 grams

How many meters are in a centimeter?1 centimeter 0.01 meters

5.6 kg = ____ g

2000 L = _____ ml

60.2 dam = _____ dm

7,100 m = _____ km

Questions to ask yourself:• Are you going to a smaller or

larger unit?

• Which way will you move the decimal? (smaller-right; larger-left)

• How many spaces do I move? (Use the Metric Ladder to help)

5.6 kg = 5,600 g

2000 L = 2,000,000,000 ml

60.2 dam = 6,020 dm

7100 m = 7.1 km

Use the next 10-15 minutes to complete the Metric Conversion worksheets

This relay game will help you practice your conversion skills

Everyone must participate! How to Play:

When it is your turn, you will come to the front of the classroom and grab a card

When you correctly convert the units, write the answer on the board, and if you are correct, you may return to your seat and send up the next member of your team

The first team to complete all of the conversions WINS!